The invention is directed to wagering games, and more particularly, wheel games typically found in gaming establishments, such as those involving a roulette wheel, playing surface, playing positions for multiple players, playing cards, and a dealer, or virtual representations thereof.
Casinos generally offer a variety of games. Some of these games incorporate or rely on apparatus for randomly determining an outcome, such as for example, games which rely on a wheel mounted for rotational motion. Wheel games include the games known as the Big Wheel and the Big Six but by far the most popular of the wheel games is roulette.
A typical roulette game consists of a table with betting layout adjacent to a roulette wheel rotor or ring mounted for rotational motion within a support structure. The ring includes a circular array of numbered segments bearing numbers 1 through 36 defined on its upper surface. American Roulette wheels typically have rings which also include the numbers 0 and 00 disposed at diametrically opposite locations on the upper surface, whereas European Roulette wheels include only the number 0. The numbers 1 through 36 are not disposed in numerical order, but rather are typically disposed in a predetermined arrangement, such that roulette wheels located in different casinos will have the same standard predetermined number ring arrangement. The numbers disposed in a circular array in the number ring region of the wheel bear the alternating colors of red and black, with the exception of the 0 and/or 00 numbers, which are typically colored green. A ring of pockets corresponding in number to the plurality of numbers of the ring lies adjacent but radially inward of the number ring on the typical roulette wheel. A typical roulette wheel further includes a central cone and a circular, inclined ball track radially outwardly of the ring.
In operation of a typical roulette game, players place chips or tokens on a betting layout located on a roulette table, and then the croupier or dealer spins the roulette wheel and the roulette ball is placed in motion along the circular ball track in the opposite direction of the rotation of the wheel. As the wheel slows, the ball moves radially inwardly and comes to rest in one of the pockets associated with a particular one of the numbers of the number ring. After the ball comes to rest in one of the pockets, the croupier or dealer settles the various wagers placed on the table layout in accordance with predetermined rules and wager odds and the process is repeated.
Roulette has remained basically unchanged since its inception in the 18th century. Despite the maturity of roulette, the game remains popular in casinos throughout the world. Nonetheless, there is always a need to add excitement to current casino games to increase their popularity with players and increase traffic and wagering at casinos.